trout on the clack

Mad Mikey · 04-04-2002, 02:58 PM

I took a few hours and bank fished some favorite drifts at McIver this AM. No salmon or steelhead caught but had fun watching the deer, one swam right thorugh my drift. Saw a couple Springers roll and a half dozen beat up steelhead bucks jumping around. The one fish I hooked and landed was a killer bow, taped it at 18". I think it was a female and I'm sure it was not a messed up juvenile steelhead that never made it to the salt. It was spotted very beautifully, big dots on the dorsal and adiopose.
This tempts me to go up there in the Summer with the flyrod. I know some spots where I've seen trout rising to flies but never thought of the Clack as a trout fishery.
I've caught many "trout" in the last fifteen years on the Clack, but this was one of the first I can say was not andromadous. Anybody else out there hooked up with any of them pretty beasts whilst fishing for the big boys???

Thanks,
Mad Mikey

Ex-military · 04-04-2002, 03:05 PM

MM...caught some nice trout (14-16") last fall
at Barton while fishin for Coho...water was low so I was usin small corkies and they just hammered
em....no salmon but it was fun on the light(er)
tackle...

Ex-military · 04-04-2002, 03:14 PM

MM...I'm assuming you mean below Estacada as a trout fishery...up above is a great trout fishery...although ya have to check the regs cuz I think they have changed.....

Catch 22 · 04-04-2002, 07:42 PM

Trout fishing (to the best of my knowledge) on the Clackamas is as follows:

1: Open from May 25th - Oct 31st
2: Catch and Release
3: Use of bait allowed below North Fork only.
4: Catch and keep of unlimited brook trout above North Fork.
5: Catch and keep of fin clipped trout in North Fork Reservoir.

As always check your regs or ask at a local store and if not totally sure, contact ODFW.

OregonBankie · 04-04-2002, 07:48 PM

I've noticed an increase in the size of the rainbows after the Clackamas was changed to catch=n=release several years ago. There used to be zillions of stocked 8-inchers, but now I think the average size is several inches bigger.

Catch 22 · 04-04-2002, 07:50 PM

SSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Dang it Oregon Bankie!! What are ya doing?????????

fishinbuddy · 04-04-2002, 09:42 PM

Good fly fishing up high on the clack, where the collawash dumps in. Go late spring early summer. Often times hook into steelhead up there. Give it a shot. :tongue:

Mad Mikey · 04-05-2002, 09:50 AM

<<Often times hook into steelhead up there>>

I think the steelheading days are over up there, at least for now. They don't let the hatchery Summers(or Winters) over NF Dam. But
I know what you mean, used to have a ball up there years ago, AND the upper Salmon and Zig Zag. I really miss those fisheries

Corkie Monster · 04-05-2002, 02:17 PM

Same here, I miss the upper Salmon River as well. I've gotten many steelies from there, and Wild wood park area as well. Since I used to be a resident in Welches I was there all the time. As for trout in the Clack, I've gotten several out of the Dog creek hole while fishing for steelhead. All were good size. 12" to 14" All hammered a small rocket red corkie. :smile: